I have been interning at a law firm this semester and have a pretty small rotation of professional clothing. Navy skirt suit. Navy pant suit. Black skit suit. Black pant suit. Red dress. Not the most exciting wardrobe out there. I try to spice things up with my accessories every day before I leave. Not only do accessories enable us to stand out from "animals" it allows us to stand out as the future of the legal profession. The legal field isn't changing so much that I would show up in a hot-pink miniskirt, but would I rock a hot pink necklace or bold turquoise earrings hell yes! Below I've outlined easy (and appropriate) ways to express yourself and accessorize in even the most formal workplaces. Best of all, you can wear ALL of them and still look like the smart, powerful professional that you are.
Four Eyes
I'm pretty much as near-sighted as I comes. Growing up, I had some serious coke bottle glasses. Although I got teased a lot when I switched to wearing contacts in high school, I finally felt pretty. Going back to wearing glasses (aside from getting ready for bed) has been a very slow process. However, I think that putting glasses into my outfit rotation is a nice little spunky change. Just wearing glasses once a week shakes things up a bit. Plus nerdy-chic is in right? Cough * Jenna Lyons * Cough.
Arm Candy
Watches. Don't have one? Buy one. You never see a professional man without one, so don't be caught with a naked wrist. Plus, it saves you from the professional faux-pas of looking at your phone to check the time. Phone in bag. Watch on wrist. That simple.
9-to-5 Bling
It exists! It's all in the execution. I'm a big fan of buttoning up my oxfords all the way and throwing on a chunky necklace. Pearls have their place, but wearing them every day is a yawn. I'm a big fan of J.Crew, Anthropologie, and Chloe + Isabel, which make most of my go-to pieces.
Carry All
My professional bags are the work horses of my wardrobe. I have 2 bags that I have in rotation, a black Kate Spade satchel (similar) for the black outfits and a brown Michael Kors tote. I don't really find the need to have more bags that than because they go with everything and I frankly don't have the room for a million bags in my tiny apartment. I found it worth it to purchase two high quality universal bags than a bunch of trendy bags that are limited in their matching potential.
Cinderella Story
Shoes can make or break an outfit. Much like with bags, I have a small rotation of shoes that I wear to work. They are all professional (read: low heal, closed toe), but they each have a special touch. My nude heels have a delicate bow and my black heels are D'orsay cut. I am too young to have shoes that look like they could do double duty for an octogenarian going to the casino.
Finishing touches
Belt it! I love pairing my leopard belt with my black pieces and a soft pink belt with my navy pieces. Adding just a tiny sliver of print or color can really turn clothes into an outfit. I'm also a fan of wearing an professional but unexpected nail color. I love soft versions of Pantone's color of the year orchid. It's pink enough in color that it can easily pass in the office.Shop the Post:
xo
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